Lucci Hotel Rome Blog

The magic door.

If you take a walk to the Vittorio square (Piazza Vittorio) which is also well known for its morning market, it is possible to admire the remains of the magic door also called the “alchemic door”. Unfortunately nowadays only few pieces are preserved from what used to be a huge door, however the legend around the area is truly magic.

Vittorio square is situated in the heart of the Esquiline quarter, one of the oldest of the entire Rome close by the Termini station.

In ancient time it would be a rich area, one of the favourites from the well-to-do family of the imperial rome.

During the middle age the area degraded becoming a zone for common people. With the Renaissance and the Baroque époque the old aqueducts were been rediscover and the area had a new life.

It was during that period that marquee Palombara between 1655 and 1680 the alchemic door the only rest that we today have from the Palombara Villa.

The Esquiline Rione…then

Palombara marquee was an enigmatic and mysterious man. He was passionate in alchemy and it’s from this passion that the legend was born.

The legend says that one night he gave hospitality to a secret man friend of the ex queen of Sweden, Christine. This man was identified as Francesco Giustiniani Bono famous alchemist that was looking for a famous grace able to turn things into gold. He stayed in the overnight. The following morning he had disappeared, leaving behind some gold thread and some parchment with strange sentences and magic symbols.

Marquee Palombara built then the famous door with all the magical materials left by Boni.

On the front of the door is the Salomon seal and on the 2 sides there are 2 statues of Bes the god that preside the amusements .

All the writings take us back to older times and let us imagine all the trials and the studies that Massimiliano Palombara used to do in his “horti” (gardens). Palombara was also a member of the Rose Cross (not to mistake with the Red Cross !) which was a famous esoteric order.

Now put on your walking shoes and pack some fresh water, and just go see this very special door. Stand in front of the door and wait: If you want it hard enough you may disappear and find yourself in a parallel world.

The Door and the Esquiline Market of Piazza Vittorio Rome are absolutely central.

Directions:

On foot, it is only 5 minutes away from your Termini station  My Hotel Rome Hotel.

By public transport : Take metro Line A, from Termini and get off at the next stop Vittorio Emanuele.